Eraser for pencil and holding tip therefor



June 6, 1939. p|p| 2,161,086

ERASER FOR PENCIL AND HOLDING TIP THEREFOR Filed Jan. 18, 1.938

INVENTOR Ma /25 P/P/ A TORNEYS f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERASER FOR PENCIL AND HOLDING TIP 'THEREFOR Michael Pipi, Jersey City, N. J., assignor to Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 18, 1938, Serial No. 185,483

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved eraser attachment for pencils of the type commonly known as lead pencils, and comprises an eraser of novel and improved form and an im- 5 proved ferrule for attaching the eraser to one end of a pencil, or in the outer end of a cylindrical cap which may be interchangeably positioned on either end of a pencil.

The usual form of pencil of this type com- 10' prises an elongated cylindrical marking material composed of graphite or lead, or similar material, enclosed in a cylindrical or hexagonal sheath commonly made from wood, paper or metal. For the purposes of the present description it will be assumed that the improved eraser attachment is to be applied to a wooden sheathed lead pencil, a form of pencil in common use. Erasers attached to such pencils have heretofore taken a great variety of forms-cylindrical,

20 wedge-shaped, pyramidal, square in cross section,

flat-rectangular, and many other forms. Formerly, (and probably today), the most common form of eraser was cylindrical with the diameter of the eraser substantially the same as the diameter of the pencil. This form and size of eraser has proved unsatisfactory to many users of lead pencils because the eraser frequently becomes worn down before the pencil is used up.

As the result of a demand for larger eraser 3 attachments for pencils, enlarged erasers of many forms have been proposed and put on the market. A satisfactory form in large demand is a flatrectangular eraser securely held on the outer end of the pencil. Another form of enlarged eraser has taken a cylindrical shape of larger diameter than the pencil to which it is attached. Enlarged erasers, square in cross section, anchored in a flat sided cup 'on the outer end of a cylindrical ferrule have also been proposed, and many other 40 forms of enlarged erasers are in use, and have given greater or less satisfaction according to their shape and how firmly they are attached to the pencil. There is a demand for flat-rectangular, enlarged erasers because they can with equal facility be used for making relatively wide erasures or relatively narrow erasures. However, the difiiculty in securing firmly on the outer end of a pencil a flat-rectangular eraser has in some inv stances led to the adoption of other forms of en- 50 larged erasers, even though with less satisfactory erasing properties, it being understood that cylindrical erasers held by cylindrical ferrules conveniently lend themselves to ready automatic attaclnnent to the pencils. 55 The object of the present invention is to produce an improved eraser attachment for pencils comprising an eraser element embracing the advantages of both cylindrical and fiat-rectangular erasers, while at the same time eliminating their disadvantages, and an improved and. simplified ferrule for securing the eraser on the end of a. pencil.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved eraser attachment, as shown mounted on one end of a pencil; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan of the eraser attachment shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, cross sectional views taken on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The pencil to which the improved eraser attachment of the invention is adapted to be secured may be of any usual or preferred form, and in the drawing there is shown a conventional type of pencil having a wooden sheath of hexagonal form, indicated at I. In this connection, it will be understood thatthe improved eraser attachment for pencils may be equally well applied to paper sheathed pencils and to cylindrical, metal '25 protective caps adapted to be placed on either end of the pencil. On theouter end of the pencil sheath 1 shown in the drawing is securely mounted the inner end 8 of a cylindrical metal ferrule I in the outer end of which is secured the improved eraser element, generally indicated at 9. The pencil body I, being hexagonal in cross section, the outer end In thereof is turned down to cylindrical form to receive the inner end 8 of the ferrule, the middle portion l2 thereof being bulged outwardly '35 for ornamental purposes. The circular flangelike portions l3 on each side of the bulge l2 tightly embrace the reduced outer cylindrical portion I0 of the pencil body 1 and thus securely hold the eraser attachment on the end of the pencil. 40 The improved eraser element of the invention consists of a elongated cylindrical middle portion l5, which, as shown in Fig. 2, is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the pencil 1. Projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the cylindrical portion [5 of the eraser element are two wing portions l6 and H, which are of the same length as the cylindrical portion l5 but are considerably less in thickness than the diameter of the cylindrical portion I5, as clearly indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. The outer lateral edges of the wing portions l6 and I! are shown rounded. In the form of the invention shown in the drawing, the wing portions l6 and ll of the eraser element are slightly less in width than the corresponding width thereof adapt the eraser for making relatively wide erasures, it being understood that although the cylindrical portion l5 of the eraser element is shown as continued to the outer end 18 thereof the bulges on each side of the outer end are soon worn away with the result that the outer end of the eraser element may be used as a flat eraser, the same as the lateral sides thereof. In this connection it will be understood that the cylindrical middle portion B5 of the eraser element supports firmly the relatively thin wing portions l6 and I1 thereof so that the latter may be used efficiently without unduly bending or crumpling during the erasing action.

In order to mount the improved eraser element securely in the outer end of the ferrule, the latter is slotted longitudinally through the opposite sides thereof, the width of the slot being substantially the same as the thickness of the wings I6 and H of the eraser element. Since the inside diameter of the ferrule is substantially the same throughout and is substantially the same as the diameter of the pencil to which it is attached and therefore of the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion l5 of the eraser element, as shown in Fig. 3, the inner surfaces of the sides [9 and 20 of the outer ends of the ferrule closely embrace the semi-cylindrical sides of the medial portion l5 of the eraser element. The slots in the sides of the outer end of the ferrule extend inwardly substantially as far as the reduced outer end 22 of the pencil, and consequently when the eraser is positioned in the outer slotted end of the ferrule the inner end 23 of the eraser is substantially flush with the outer end of the pencil.

The eraser element is securely fastened in the slotted outer end of the ferrule by the inwardly directed teeth or claws 24 in the two jaws of the outer end of the ferrule which may conveniently be formed in the usual manner by appropriate prick punch-like tools.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the improved eraser attachment for pencils of the present invention embodies features which commend it for simplicity and cheapness of manufacture and for convenient and wide variety of use, as well as affording ample erasing material. Since the ferrule is throughout its length of substantially cylindrical form, it may be readily and cheaply produced by the devices commonly employed for such purposes, and since the improved eraser element is provided with a cylindrical middle portion adapted to fit Within the outer end of the ferrule it may be readily secured therein by approved methods. And in addition to these advantages the improved eraser attachment affords all the erasing material which may be desired and at the same time gives the 'user the advantages of both relatively wide eraser elements and relatively narrow eraser elements which may be employed by simply shifting the position of the pencil in the hand of the user.

I claim:

1. An eraser attachment for pencils comprising an eraser element of substantially rectangular formation consisting of a cylindrical middle portion and two wing portions projecting laterally from opposite sides of the cylindrical portion, said wing portions being of less thickness than the cylindrical portion of the eraser, the cylindrical middle portion being coextensive with the length of the two wing portions and a cylindrical ferrule the inner end of which is adapted to be secured on one end of the pencil, the outer end of the ferrule projecting beyond the end of the pencil being provided with a longitudinal slot of substantially the same width as the thickness of the wing portions of the eraser to provide a pair of eraser clamping arms of arcuate formation in cross section, so that said wing portions may be received in the slot and the cylindrical portion of the eraser within the outer arcuate clamping arms of the ferrule with the clamping arms acting to prevent movement of the eraser element laterally thereof.

2. An eraser attachment for pencils comprising an eraser element consisting of a cylindrical middle portion and two substantially rectangular wing portions projecting laterally from opposite sides of the cylindrical portion, said wing portions being of the same length as the cylindrical middle portion of the eraser but of less thickness than it, and a cylindrical ferrule the inner end of which is adapted to be secured on one end of the pencil, the outer end of the ferrule projecting beyond the end of the pencil being provided through its opposite sides with a longitudinal slot of substantially the same width as the thickness of the wing portions of the eraser to provide a pair of eraser clamping arms of arcuate formation in cross section so that said wing portions may be received in the slot and the cylindrical portion of the eraser within the arcuate clamping arms of the ferrule with the clamping arms acting to prevent movement of the eraser element laterally thereof.

MICHAEL PIPI. 

